Lap Partners
by Ray by Another Name
Summary: Cinder Fall is Ruby's new lab partner. Now she just has to not stutter, or flail, or tip the bunsen burner over...again. Written for Sapphic September Day 6 - HS AU.


Cinder Fall is Ruby's new lab partner. Now she just has to not stutter, or flail, or tip the bunsen burner over...again.

Written for Sapphic September Day 6 - HS AU.

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**Lap Partners  
**

Okay. Ruby regretted All the decisions. All of them! But especially the ones that led to her sitting here, in Professor Port's classroom, with Cinder Freakin' Fall as her lap partner. Lab partner! Not lap, lab!

She could not make that slip around Yang. She would never live it down.

"Now that you've met your assigned lab partners, I will give you a few moments to exhange information before going over the syllabus."

Cookies! Now she had to Talk. To Cinder Falls!

Ruby did not flail on her stool! Cinder was looking at her and her fingers had still not recovered from hitting the bunsen burner. It was a near thing regardless.

"Do you have a cell phone?" Cinder held her's up as she smiled at Ruby, eyebrows slightly raised. "We can exchange numbers."

Ruby ducked towards her backpack to pull out Crescent Rose. She blushed as she pushed the Samsung phone across the table. It was a personalized case - she and her friend Penny had spent a weekend decorating their phones before school started.

The cartoon Ursa being decapitated was sort of inside joke.

Cinder didn't comment, just handed Ruby her iPhone X - with a bedazzled flame case! - and started putting in her contact info. Maybe Cinder wasn't Too cool to be Ruby's friend…

Just because she had the cutest punk bob Ruby had ever seen and wore combat boots without zippers didn't mean she was unapproachable!

"You're Yang's little sister right? She's a lock on the rugby team?" Cinder asked as she passed Crescent Rose back. Ruby handed her iPhone back with a simple nod. "She's an excellent tackle, do you know if she can play American football at all?"

Ruby pursed her lips and shrugged. "I don't think so."

Yeah! No stutter! Ruby's inner self fist pumped as Cinder lamented her inability to get enough girls together for a team.

"Well, how do you play American football?" Ruby asked, her fingers tightened on the edge of her seat as Cinder's eyes flickered to Ruby. A smirk spread across her face.

"You play sports?" Cinder was suddenly leaning much closer, "You're in the accelerated program so I just assumed you were more nerd than jock."

Ruby blushed, "I'm on a swim scholarship actually."

Cinder clasped her shoulder, "I'll text you the details for our first meeting. Bring anyone you want." She winked, "Especially if you can get that big sister of yours to come."

"O-kay..." Ruby's heart sank as Port called them back to attention.

Of course, Cinder liked her sister, of course! Yang was like every dude's wet dream. It only made sense for her to be evey girl's too!

-.-.-

"Why, exactly, do I have to come with you to this thing?" Yang had a blank expression on her face as she waited. Ruby fidgeted under her gaze.

"My lab partner asked me to come, and she really wanted me to bring you too."

Yang's eyes narrowed, "Cinder Fall?" Ruby puckered her lips and rocked back on her heels. "Ruby…"

The entirety of the Rugby team was watching their exchange. Nora and Pyrrha were grinning behind Yang, shaking their heads in tandem.

"Yes."

"Fine!" Yang huffed, she threw a glare over her shoulder as Nora began to snicker, "Don't be too amused, you're coming too."

Yang turned her widest grin on the room as a whole, quieting all the snickers from the boys. Ruby cut in with a quick, "I think she's trying to put together an all-girls team."

Yang, Nora, and Pyrrha all perked up at that. Coco cackled from the showers, "Hell yes!"

"We're in!" Velvet smiled, a hand on Blake's shoulder as the other faunus tried to escape.

Ruby clapped her hands together, "Awesome!"

-.-.-

"Your lab partner brought every girl on the rugby team and the top diver," Emerald drawled in Cinder's ear as the rowdy bunch settled in the front row.

Ruby was sitting next to a ginger-haired girl wearing a bright pink bow. Cinder had zero idea who the girl was, but her eyes narrowed on her just the same.

"Ah, I see," Emerald grinned beside her, "That's Penny Polendina. She's president of the Aro Rowing Club, fyi."

Oh. Cinder stopped glaring at her then. Ruby waved at her, nerve smile twitching at her lips. Cinder returned it before clearing her throat to start the meeting.

Beside Ruby on the other side, Yang was watching Cinder with an arched brow. She elbowed Pyrrha. The redhead straightened and nodded.

The unofficial Beacon Academy Matchmaking Team was on duty. Targets: Ruby Rose and Cinder Fall.

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Reviews Appreciated!


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